For young adults, being able to frequently drink may feel like the first taste of adulthood; however, it may also be the last. Binge drinking is defined by The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) in “Drinking levels defined” as the level of alcohol consumption that brings blood alcohol concentrations (BAC) to 0.08 g/dL. In recent years, there has been a rise in the availability of alcoholic beverages and a decrease in the cost of alcohol. As a result, there has been an increase in the number of young adults and college students who binge drink and are hospitalized for it. Simultaneously, it has brought into fruition the question of whether or not the legal age for drinking is suitable for preventing binge drinking
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In his essay,“ How Binging became the new college sport” Barrett Seaman claims that the United States should lower the drinking age back to 18 or 19, to help with the high numbers of binge drinkers in the country. Seaman addresses that there might be an influx in the number of young adults over drinking at first, however, overtime, with the pressures of things like school and family, young adults will learn to be able to practice safer ways of drinking. Although, Seaman provides an example, McGill University,of what lowering the drinking age can do to help lower the rate of binge drinking, Seaman neglects the effects of binge drinking and long term drinking among young adults. Drew K. Saylor, in his article “Heavy Drinking on College Campuses: No Reason to Change Minimum Legal Drinking Age of 21,” details how lowering the drinking age will not make an impact in the high levels of drinking among college campuses. Although there is a decrease in the number of young adults drinking in private, there was a 10% to 30% increase in crashes among the population. In addition, up until the twenties, the human brain is continuing to develop. According to MADD, “Drinking alcohol during that time can damage short and long-term brain growth and that damage can be permanent. Teens are more likely to suffer blackouts, memory loss, and alcohol poisoning from drinking, as well as to cause damage to their ability to remember things in the future”. Although drinking a small amount of alcohol is not harmful, increased levels of drinking alcohol could result in developmental
In his essay,“ How Binging became the new college sport” Barrett Seaman claims that the United States should lower the drinking age back to 18 or 19, to help with the high numbers of binge drinkers in the country. Seaman addresses that there might be an influx in the number of young adults over drinking at first, however, overtime, with the pressures of things like school and family, young adults will learn to be able to practice safer ways of drinking. Although, Seaman provides an example, McGill University,of what lowering the drinking age can do to help lower the rate of binge drinking, Seaman neglects the effects of binge drinking and long term drinking among young adults. Drew K. Saylor, in his article “Heavy Drinking on College Campuses: No Reason to Change Minimum Legal Drinking Age of 21,” details how lowering the drinking age will not make an impact in the high levels of drinking among college campuses. Although there is a decrease in the number of young adults drinking in private, there was a 10% to 30% increase in crashes among the population. In addition, up until the twenties, the human brain is continuing to develop. According to MADD, “Drinking alcohol during that time can damage short and long-term brain growth and that damage can be permanent. Teens are more likely to suffer blackouts, memory loss, and alcohol poisoning from drinking, as well as to cause damage to their ability to remember things in the future”. Although drinking a small amount of alcohol is not harmful, increased levels of drinking alcohol could result in developmental